Febuary 05, 2020

Romans Chapter 10

Who: The Apostle Paul
What: Is writing a letter to the church in Rome
When: (during his mission trip)
Why: (to preach the gospel) In chapter one he acknowledges and greets this beautiful church as a great church doing a great work (Romans 1:7) "To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (verse 2) I thank my God for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world."

Previous Chapters

Chapter One: What happens when we suppress the truth. God wants us to have the truth and not believe just believe in anything? What happened to other believers who suppress truth? It could be a warning; or ways to avoid the dilemma others found themselves in? As a reader I see it as both.

Chapter Two: We have no excuses with God? Human nature causes to find excuses for why we do what we do but God will not accept it because he shined the light of truth in every believer. In this chapter the writer discusses the law revealing that our knowledge of the law (as believers) does not give us the right to judge others; because God is the only righteous judge.

Chapter Three: Circumcision and Righteousness according to God. Jews and Gentiles (we all have fallen short of the glory of God.) What is the value of circumcision? What is faith? What is justification?

Chapter four: Abraham believed God. We believe God; and then we are justified by our faith. Secondly faith is not just knowledge. If we teach others we must teach ourselves. Hearers of the word are not justified but doers of the word.

Chapter five: Christ died for the ungodly. God has shown us his love. Sin came into the world through one man and righteousness will come through one man (Jesus Christ). " The law came to increase the trespass, but where sin is increased, grace abounded all the more." We have help to do what we need to do.

Chapter six: We are no longer bound to the law. At one time we were slaves to the law and unrighteousness. We have been set free from the law of sin and death.

Chapter seven: The law and the sin that dwells within. Paul says it not me but it the law of sin and death at work in me and he goes on to say who shall save me from this misery, (Jesus Christ can save us from the sin that is naturally in us) We did nothing to become a sinner but through Adam all men became sinners and through Jesus Christ men can be made righteous.

Chapter Eight:  Predestined to be conformed into the image of his son. Walking in the spirit/Walking in the flesh.

Chapter Nine: Not all the Jews have accept God's path to righteousness and justification. The Gentiles accepted their guilt and have come unto God. Paul prays and wishes that his brothers (the Jews) would come to God as well.

Chapter 10

Brothers, my hearts desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved.

For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. 

For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness. 

For Christ is the end of the law of righteousness to everyone who believes.

For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them.

But the righteousness based on faith says, Do not say in your heart, who will ascend into heaven? that is to bring Christ down)

Or who will descend into the abyss? (that is to bring Christ up form the dead)

(👀👀 How unique is this verse. When I think on it; I see the Apostle saying; The salvation we have is by faith. How do we know when someone believes? When we live according to the law people may see our good works or good deeds; and often times they will congratulate us or think well of us. But sometimes a person can believe but maybe they are sinners who just believe in their hearts and they have to learn how to do what is good. How can we say who is going to heaven? How can we determine who is going to hell? I think it's something we don't know. 

There are some people who have a zeal for God but according to this passage they are not RIGHTEOUS in GOD'S EYES. It does not say they don't do righteous things. They probably do righteous things but it is about Gods saying a person is justified or not. Who really matters? Who justifies? God or man? It is God. If a man calls you righteous, Great, sadly he cannot get you into heaven. You will still have to get through God. Men can accept us on the earth but they don't have a say so in who goes to heaven or hell. 

So the writer is saying, It is possible to established your own righteousness based on the law? You can do right things but there is no faith. 

 In the bible it says Jesus sat with sinners. Others avoided them but God looked deeper and his spirit was discerning things about them. In Jesus day the sect leaders had a standard but they didn't have God's agreement. 

It makes me think about Matthew, Mark, Luke when God tells the religious leaders (disagree or agree) they are good but God is good-er and man must listen to Jesus Christ. 

They wanted to be good according to the law but sadly that's not how it works. 

But what does it say, The word is near you, in your mouth and in  your heart" (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim).

Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from dead, you will be saved.

For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the moth one confesses and is saved. 

For the scripture says, everyone who believe sin him will not be put to shame.

For there is not distinction between Jew and Greek; for the Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him.

For everyone who calls on the name of the lord will be saved. 

How then will they call him in who they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are the to hear without someone to preach?

And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!

(Who better to preach the gospel then this church. How can they believe? Unless you go! How can they hear? (Its beautiful how God wants us to spread the good news). 

But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, Lord who has believed what he has heard from us?

So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

But I ask, have they not heard? Indeed they have, for their voice has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world.

But I ask, did Israel not understand? First Moses says, I will make you jealous of those who are not a nation; with a foolish nature I will make you angry.

Then Isaiah is so bold as to say, I have been found by those who did not seek me; I have shown myself to those who did not ask for me.

But of Israel he says, All day long I have held out my hands to an disobedient and contrary people.

MY SALVATION POEM:

How blessed were the Jews to do the Law!

I emphasize do; it must have felt good to be right. 

How blessed are the Jews to know what was right and what was wrong!

How great it must be; to be trusted to teach others the truth trusted to you!

Never knowing the shame of doing wrong.

The Gentiles did wrong and didn't have any shame.

They didn't have a clue; but he spoke to there hearts too?

And he said, just believe!

But how blessed are the Jews!

Never knowing the destruction of sin.

Safe from darkness.

Never feeling the darkness of living without God.

But God says, please don't stop doing good.

But the bible tells us goodness will not cause God to open the door to heaven.

He is asking for something more.

He honors good works; but he wants the heart.

Its just something more valuable and maybe even personal!

He wants you and me!

Then our good works become something we do for free.

Something we do because we are free. 

How happy are the Gentiles!

We were messed up people!

No clue about right and we lived by our nature. 

People could only call us sick.

Thank you Lord; we just believe......there has to be something better for us.

We surely didn't have any works;

and the works we do now or in the future 

all the credit goes to God.

You see us at our worst with nothing and

sometimes we are suffering because of our sins.

So when you see us at our best; you will say,

God is real because he touched 

a very broken soul.

THE GENTILES HAD NO WORKS TO GET IN.
JUST A GUILTY CONSCIENCE.

THANK YOU JESUS WE CAN BELIEVE AND ENJOY GOD.

THANK YOU JESUS WE CAN RECEIVE A NEW SPIRIT.